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cnbc.com
Kuwait closes airspace, Israel warns of launches from Lebanon after U.S strikes in Iran
President Donald Trump promised more attacks on Iran after strikes resumed this week. Earlier this week, he said a deal to end the war was near.
cnbc.com
Oil prices recede after earlier gains as traders weigh U.S.-Iran latest
Oil prices edged lower on Thursday after Kuwait closed its airspace and Israel warned of launches from Lebanon.
cnbc.com
Company moves from Singapore to cheaper, more spacious Malaysia, showing a rising global mobility trend
Lower costs, tax incentives and access to a larger market have seen a raft of companies shift operations to Malaysia from Singapore.
cnbc.com
Hugo Boss pops 7% after top shareholder Frasers launches $2 billion takeover offer
British retail group Frasers owns a roughly 26% stake in Hugo Boss.
theguardian.com
China’s Jingye Steel asks UK for compensation over British Steel takeover – business live
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsChina’s Jingye Steel is seeking compensation from the UK government over the takeover, and future nationalisation, of British Steel.Jingye Steel wants Britain to compensate it for the loss incurred through its investment in British Steel, which the UK government took operational control of in April 2025.“Jingye has recently initiated consultation procedures under the bilateral investment treaty with the UK government.” Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Private credit has ‘growing pains,’ but a Man Group exec sees opportunities in higher rates
Private credit is facing liquidity-related “growing pains,” but higher-for-longer interest rates could create attractive yield opportunities, Man Group said.
bbc.com
Ryanair investigated over charging parents to sit with children
The UK's competition regulator is investigating the airline over charges it imposes on parents to sit next to their child.
bbc.com
Korea fines e-commerce giant $400m over data breach affecting millions
The record fine comes after around 37.5 million users had their private data exposed.
cnbc.com
Private credit lenders say their big software bet faces an AI reckoning — but not a ‘SaaSpocalypse'
Private credit's exposure to software is being tested by AI, as lenders look past “SaaSpocalypse” fears to identify winners and losers.
cnbc.com
Investors brace for a 'long grind' as Iran war escalation dims hopes of an early end to hostilities
As U.S. and Iranian forces continue exchanging strikes, investors are increasingly grappling with the possibility that the conflict could become more prolonged.
cnbc.com
Mercedes-Benz joins Europe’s defense push with anti-drone vehicle deal
Mercedes becomes the latest European carmaker to turn to the defense industry in the hope that partnerships can revive the auto industry's ailing fortunes.
cnbc.com
CNBC Daily Open: ECB heads for a hike amid Iran energy price pressures
The European Central Bank is expected to make its first interest rate hike in nearly three years amid increasing inflationary pressure due to the Iran war.
cnbc.com
KKR says AI productivity boom to keep on going — but warns of 'extreme' trend not seen since the 19th century
KKR said in its mid-year outlook Thursday that AI will drive economic growth for years to come, but only in specific sectors.
bbc.com
Parents find lifeline in 50p kids' clothes shop
A second-hand shop selling cheap baby clothes sees rising demand as families cut costs.
bbc.com
Social media on trial: Four important cases to watch
Social media firms face thousands of lawsuits, the BBC looks at four which could be significant.
theguardian.com
Millions of homes in London, Essex and Kent at risk of sinking as climate crisis worsens
Analysis pinpoints areas most vulnerable to hotter, drier weather causing ground to shrink and drag foundations downMillions of homes are at risk from climate-related subsidence, according toan analysis by the British Geological Survey (BGS).As hotter, drier summers driven by global heating become more frequent, the ground under houses can shrink and drag down a property’s foundations. The most vulnerable areas include London, Essex, Kent and a tranche of land from Oxford up to the Wash on England’s east coast, according to scientists, who say mitigation measures will be needed. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Young, ambitious and out of work: ‘I’ve gone from Oxford to zero jobs. It’s a bit of a fall’
About 1 million 16- to 24-year-olds are not in employment, education or training – and the obstacles they face are bigger than ever. Those unemployed for a year or more explain how they are copingThomas doesn’t leave the house much. Apart from walking his dog, the only other excursion the 24-year-old regularly makes is a “humiliating” weekly trip to Iceland, where he stocks up on seven £1 frozen meals, usually an assortment of bland curries with the occasional garishly sweet, takeaway-style Chinese meal. “You’re going in and buying seven and the cashier is 100% thinking: oh, that’s one a day,” he says.Half the time, he doesn’t bother eating them. “You just sit there and go: I don’t want it again. I’ve had it for two days on the trot.” Continue reading...
cnbc.com
OpenAI mulls slashing prices as it competes with Anthropic for users: WSJ
OpenAI is reportedly mulling drastic price cuts to its AI models, as it looks to woo consumers from rival AI company Anthropic, the WSJ reported on Wednesday.
theguardian.com
Into the HyperVerse: inside a crypto scheme that cost investors millions of dollars – documentary
When Guardian Australia senior reporter Sarah Martin heard a friend’s hairdresser had invested in a cryptocurrency scheme called HyperVerse and potentially lost all her money, she decided to investigate. She soon found many more members of the scheme, in Australia and around the world. A person in the UK had lost £1m from the sale of his home that he’d put into HyperVerse; an Australian who had recruited his mates lost $100,000 – and lost his friendships too.In this short documentary, interviews with former HyperVerse participants are woven through Sarah’s recounting of the rabbit hole she fell down as she investigated the scheme, how it worked, and tried to find out who was responsible for it all.‘They are so convincing’: Vera Gazzard lost her life savings to HyperVerseInvestors lose millions as crypto schemes operate unchecked in Australia Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Inside India newsletter: Hollywood is debating AI. India's filmmakers are embracing it
Even as Hollywood remains the world's most influential storyteller, experiments in AI filmmaking are increasingly happening in India.
cnbc.com
Oracle beats on earnings, but stock drops on plans to raise another $20 billion
Oracle topped quarterly expectations, but free cash flow is negative, and the company plans to raise more capital for data center projects.
bbc.com
Trump says he 'loves the inflation' as US prices rise at fastest rate in three years
Consumers are increasingly feeling the strain of the US-Israel war in Iran.
bbc.com
The furious dispute over what caused Air India flight 171 to crash
The final conclusions of the investigation have yet to be published, although more could become apparent in the coming days.
bbc.com
Mike Ashley's Frasers offers £1.73bn to buy all of Hugo Boss
The retail group already owns just over a quarter of the German fashion brand but wants to buy the rest of it.
bbc.com
'A little goes a long way': New York's candy stores sweeten economic gloom
While US consumer confidence is at an historic low the Big Apple's sweet shops are expanding.
bbc.com
I'd have vetoed foreign sale of UK tech giant, says Business Secretary
Peter Kyle's comments come as the government sets out how it would back British technology companies.
cnbc.com
Bill Gates tells House panel 'I should have never met' with Jeffrey Epstein
Gates reportedly prepared for his testimony with the help of Jake Greenberg, who previously was the Oversight committee's chief investigations counsel.
cnbc.com
Amazon trucking expansion sparks freight stock sell-off
Amazon has been spinning out more of its in-house logistics offerings for others to access, posing a growing threat to industry incumbents.
cnbc.com
World Cup travel boost hasn't materialized for U.S. businesses — yet
The expected travel boom from the World Cup is looking like it will be a city-by-city, match-by-match test of pricing power.
cnbc.com
Company that bet big on Trump-backed crypto says its fortunes have improved
AI Financial Corp. says it has mitigated some of the concerns that prompted it to say earlier that it may not be able to stay in business.
bbc.com
World Cup expected to be the biggest betting event in history
The expansion of the number of games being played is set to drive a surge in the amount of bets placed on this year's World Cup.
theguardian.com
Mike Ashley’s Frasers makes €1.98bn takeover bid for Hugo Boss
Fashion and sportswear group, which owns 26% of the German luxury brand, is now seeking full controlMike Ashley’s retail group, Frasers, has launched a near-€2bn takeover offer for the German luxury fashion brand Hugo Boss.The fashion and sportswear group, which owns 26% of Hugo Boss, said it is offering to pay about €1.98bn (£1.73bn) for the remainder of the business to take full control. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Wall Street needs a crash course in the token economy ahead of AI IPOs. SpaceX offers a preview
When OpenAI and Anthropic make their IPO prospectuses available to the public, investors are going to have to learn about a whole new economy.
theguardian.com
Trump says ‘I love the inflation’ as rate rises to 4.2% amid Iran war pressure
Before the conflict began, inflation was at 2.4%, but the closure of the strait of Hormuz has affected energy pricesDonald Trump said “I love the inflation” after new data showed that inflation jumped to an annual rate of 4.2% in May, the third consecutive monthly increase since the start of the Iran war and a three-year high.Speaking from the White House on Wednesday, the US president said that he was not concerned about inflation because of recent developments in the conflict. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
UK minister defends changes to student loans as criticism mounts
Lucy Rigby tells MPs heavily subsidised system gives the government the right to alter terms of existing agreementsMinisters have rejected accusations that recent changes to student loans are unfair, arguing that they are so heavily subsidised that the government has the right to alter their terms.Pressure has been intensifying on the UK government to reform the student loans system but the chief secretary to the Treasury, Lucy Rigby, told MPs on Wednesday that less than half of young people go to university, and the government had to bear in mind “fairness to taxpayers as a whole”. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Trump: 'I love the inflation'
The president also revealed that the US is 'taking out' millions of barrels of oil from Iran, saying Tehran didn't know 'until right now'.
cnbc.com
Humaniod robotics company raises up to $1.4 billion from Nvidia, Amazon and others
Investors have rushed to back companies in the physical AI space
cnbc.com
Sen. Warren calls on SEC to delay SpaceX IPO, flagging concerns about valuation and governance
Sen. Elizabeth Warren noted Elon Musk's "uniquely unchecked" power as SpaceX's majority shareholder and other concerns in a letter to the SEC.
theguardian.com
Pay what you wish: the restaurant where customers can eat for free – if their conscience lets them
Ever since the Post Modern Times cafe in Minneapolis ditched its price list, half the customers have chosen not to pay. It’s still making a profitName: Pay what you wish.Age: Popular since the 00s, but dating back to at least the 80s. Continue reading...
bbc.com
School uniform charity plans fundraising week
Leanne Farlie's Little Stars charity supplies families who are struggling with the cost of uniform.
theguardian.com
Toby Carvery to fund orchard replanting as settlement for felling ancient oak
Enfield council in north London took legal action against restaurant chain after outrage over damage to tree The UK restaurant chain Toby Carvery has settled a legal dispute over taking a chainsaw to an ancient oak tree without permission, by agreeing to pay to restore a lost orchard.The unauthorised partial felling of the 500-year-old oak next to a Toby Carvery car park in Whitewebbs Park, Enfield, north London, in April last year, prompted widespread public outrage and questions in parliament. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
The World Cup will likely be the biggest gambling event in history
Global wagers on the 2026 World Cup could top $50 billion, according to Macquarie analyst Chad Beynon. That’s up from more than $35 billion in the 2022 tournament.
theguardian.com
The business secretary is overselling UK state investment activism
Peter Kyle exaggerates role of British Business Bank and National Wealth Fund in nurturing firmsIs the business secretary, Peter Kyle, suffering from SpaceX fever? It must be something of that sort because his launch this week of a “concierge service” to allow fast-growing companies to navigate Whitehall bureaucracy came with an extraordinary pitch. The new service is “part of his [Kyle’s] quest to nurture the UK’s first trillion-dollar firm”, said the official announcement.One trillion dollars is about £750bn so Kyle’s quest is not a small undertaking when you see that the largest company on the London Stock Exchange, HSBC, is worth £235bn. Arm Holdings, the fast-growing UK chip designer that is listed in the US (sadly), is worth £280bn. So Kyle is saying he thinks he can “nurture” something much bigger. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Consumer prices rose 4.2% annually in May, highest in three years
The consumer price index was expected to show a 4.2% gain from a year ago, according to the Dow Jones consensus estimate.
theguardian.com
WH Smith raises £100m as it warns on profits due to Iran war
Retailer plans to shut unprofitable stores as falling US airport traffic due to Middle East conflict hits trading Business live – latest updatesWH Smith has issued a profit warning after shopper numbers at its stores in US airports fell as a result of the war in the Middle East, prompting the company to raise fresh capital from investors.The retailer, which operates 1,200 outlets globally in airports, railway stations and hospitals, raised £102m through a share sale on Wednesday to strengthen its balance sheet, pay down debt, invest in technology and shut down unprofitable stores following “a downturn in trading conditions”. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Weight-loss drug users save more than £400 a year on food as take-up triples
Research suggests households that include a GLP-1 user collectively spent £780m less on grocery billsBusiness live – latest updatesWeight-loss drugs are saving users’ households more than £400 a year on grocery bills, according to a survey, which found use of GLP-1s has nearly tripled in the past two years to 1.9 million adults.More than 6.3% of households in Great Britain now include at least one GLP-1 user, according to the research by Worldpanel by Numerator. This marks a sharp rise from 4.1% of households in 2025 and 2.3% in 2024. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
UK poised to ease steel tariffs as manufacturers warn of costs
Exemptions being considered after March announcement of measures to support domestic steel productionMinisters are expected to drop some planned tariffs on foreign steel after UK manufacturers said the measures would significantly increase their costs.Representatives of the Department for Business and Trade are meeting leaders of steel trading business groups on Wednesday and Thursday with a view to finalising details of a reprieve for certain industries. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
AI will help young workers 'mature' faster by automating grunt work, Thoma Bravo says, amid youth job crisis
"If you look at our associates, they're spending a lot less time doing models or comparables than before," Orlando Bravo, founder of Thoma Bravo, told CNBC.
cnbc.com
SoftBank sinks over 8% as global tech stocks tumble, tracking Wall Street losses
Semiconductor and technology stocks fell on Wednesday, tracking overnight losses on Wall Street.
cnbc.com
Gold, silver and bitcoin fall as traders up Fed rate hike bets
Precious metals were firmly in negative territory, as fears about inflation and the Federal Reserve's interest rate path weighed on investor sentiment.
bbc.com
Debenhams boss on the daily habit he swears by
Dan Finley has overseen the successful turnaround of Debenhams department store. He shares the best advice he's received and some of the keys to his success.
theguardian.com
China’s BYD aims to be world’s biggest car firm within five years
EV maker aims to overtake Toyota, as it plans to spend £1.8bn to build five-minute flash chargers in EuropeBusiness live – latest updatesThe Chinese car company BYD has said it aims to be the world’s biggest automaker within the next five years.Targeting Toyota’s long-held top spot, BYD’s founder and chair, Wang Chuanfu said he was confident it could overtake global rivals through rapid advances in battery technology and fast charging, as well as growing production overseas, including Europe. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Meta agrees to Indian AI data center deal as hyperscaler bolsters its infrastructure
Meta signs a deal with Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries to lease an AI-enabled data center in India.
cnbc.com
Tehran targets Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan after U.S. strikes Iranian assets
The latest clash with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz came as President Donald Trump repeated that a deal with Tehran could be reached within days.
theguardian.com
Pub chain Fuller’s hopes for bumper summer of World Cup and staycations
Company says it has strong bookings for England matches and has spruced up gardens for domestic holidaymakersBusiness live – latest updatesThe boss of the pub and hotel chain Fuller’s has said that the evening kick-off times of World Cup matches will provide a double-hit of business through the peak summer period, as the group gets “garden-ready” for fans before the tournament.Simon Emeny, the chief executive of Fuller, Smith & Turner, said there had been strong advance bookings for the World Cup and that it had spruced up garden areas across its 337 pubs, hotels and inns to cater for a bumper summer. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
We economists have done the maths: ‘growth’ is a doomed strategy – there is a better way | Olivier De Schutter and others
Our roadmap has been shaped by experts across the world, from UN agencies to grassroots movements. We call on political leaders at all levels to use itWe live in an age of manufactured scarcity. In a world richer than ever before, roughly one 10th of the world’s population still lives in extreme destitution. Millions of people cannot afford enough food, proper housing or basic healthcare, while a tiny minority accumulates unprecedented wealth and power. At the same time, droughts, megafires, floods and heatwaves remind us that our economies are pushing the planet beyond its limits.These are not separate crises. They are symptoms of an economic model that has reached the end of the road. Poverty and inequality are not accidents; they are predictable outcomes of policy choices: how we design tax systems, regulate labour markets, value care, structure public services and decide whose needs and whose voices matter. Crucially, if governments can manufacture poverty, they can also dismantle it.Olivier De Schutter is the chair of New Economies for Eradicating Poverty; Joseph Stiglitz is a Nobel laureate in economics; Jayati Ghosh is professor of economics at University of Massachusetts Amherst; Thomas Piketty is professor of economics at the Paris School of Economics; Kate Raworth is an economist at Oxford University’s Environmental Change Institute; Jason Hickel is a political economist and professor at the Autonomous University of Barcelona Continue reading...
theguardian.com
A question for Nigel Farage – why is your nationalist party so obsessed with destroying British jobs? | George Monbiot
The net zero economy is booming, so claims that prosperity depends on oil and gas are bunkum – unless you’re a Reform backer with fossil fuel interests, of courseReally? You want to destroy a million jobs? Vote Reform UK for mass unemployment: is that your pitch? Hammer these questions home whenever you meet a supporter of the party. Or, for that matter, a Conservative, as their party now takes an almost identical line.The figures are stark. They were compiled not by Just Stop Oil or the Green party, but by that bastion of conservatism, the Confederation of British Industry. They show that the net zero economy now directly employs more than 300,000 full-time workers, while supporting the jobs of 1.1 million. The net zero sector is worth £100bn to the UK already, and is likely to grow by hundreds of billions more. The rest of the green economy directly employs a further 600,000. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Nike charges World Cup fans the most for replica shirts after price surge
England supporters face paying inflation-busting £95 for an adult shirt as the tournament begins in the USFans of World Cup teams kitted out by Nike face the highest costs if they want to buy a replica shirt before the tournament kicks off this week amid a “striking” overall increase in prices.Alongside the official match versions, which are retailing for as much as €160, manufacturers typically make “stadium”, or replica, versions aimed at supporters. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
More than half of clean energy schemes needed for Labour’s 2030 target offered grid connection
The 700 projects include wind and solar farms, battery storage, gas and hydro plansMore than half the renewable energy projects needed to meet the government’s clean power targets by 2030 are now able to plug into the electricity grid after years of delay, according to the system operator.The National Energy System Operator (Neso) has offered more than 700 clean energy projects in Great Britain a grid connection date since the start of the year, after a two-year process to unblock a bottleneck that threatened to delay projects into the 2030s. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
What next for BP? Leadership exits test investor confidence in board oversight
An executive exodus at BP has sparked intense scrutiny from investors.
cnbc.com
Beyond 'Silicon Roundabout': The next challenge for UK tech
Fifteen years after the initial hype, there is now genuine excitement around London’s new tech cluster.
bbc.com
UK pint prices up 36% since last World Cup – here's why
UK pint prices are up 36% since the last World Cup. We look at why beer now costs so much more.
bbc.com
Illegal mini-marts to shut for up to 12 months under law change prompted by BBC
Under current rules, shops breaking the law can only be closed for up to six months in England and Wales.
theguardian.com
It was Britain’s most expensive house. Why is its only resident a homeless man who lives on the porch?
2-8A Rutland Gate had jewel-encrusted bathroom suites and gold wastepaper bins in its 45 rooms, but has lain empty for years. With many people desperate for secure housing, what does the abandonment of this palace tell us about the UK?When it last changed hands, in 2020, 2-8A Rutland Gate was Britain’s most expensive house, selling for £210m. The word “house” hardly does it justice; palace is probably more accurate. It is in Knightsbridge, one of the most glamorous parts of London, and has 45 rooms, four lifts, an indoor pool and 116 windows, 68 of which overlook Hyde Park.But no one is enjoying those views. This palace has been empty for years. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
The Interview
Charles Gitonga speaks to entrepreneur Mohammed Dewji about being a billionaire in Africa
bbc.com
Bill debt soars but many don't know help is available
The majority of billpayers are unaware of special tariffs for water and broadband, the spending watchdog says.
bbc.com
Beauty Pie LED mask ad banned over misleading anti-wrinkle claim
The mask is not "clinically proven to reduce wrinkles in four weeks", the advertising watchdog finds.
bbc.com
How to enjoy the World Cup - and keep your boss on side
Football fans and bosses share their strategies to balance late night kick offs with work the next day.
bbc.com
Kalshi to make some users reveal job details to tackle insider trading
After issues with insider trading, the prediction betting platform is adding new rules.
bbc.com
World's largest chipmaker does not rule out price rises as costs increase
In a rare interview, a senior executive at TSMC discusses the AI boom, the geopolitics of chips and what it means for the price of electronics.
cnbc.com
SpaceX IPO explained: The price is set, but retail allocation still up in the air
Charles Schwab, Fidelity, Robinhood, SoFi and Morgan Stanley's E-Trade are among the brokerage platforms making SpaceX shares available.
bbc.com
Version of AI tool 'too powerful for public' released to public
Claude Fable 5 is a version of Anthropic's Claude Mythos, an AI program which caused a stir among technology, finance, and government leaders.
theguardian.com
UK watchdog to look at Paramount’s $110bn takeover of Warner Bros Discovery
Deal to create a streaming and sports powerhouse will be scrutinised by Competition and Markets AuthorityThe UK competition watchdog has opened an investigation into Paramount Skydance’s $110bn (£82bn) takeover of Warner Bros Discovery (WBD).The deal will create a media powerhouse controlling assets including the Paramount and HBO Max streaming services, Channel 5 and TNT Sports, which broadcasts Champions League, Premier League and the Olympics, the Hollywood studios behind franchises including Superman, Batman and Top Gun, as well as HBO, home to shows including Game of Thrones, The White Lotus and Succession. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Final piece of 'iconic' Denby Pottery signed
The firm, founded in 1809, appointed administrators due to rising energy and labour costs.
theguardian.com
BT Digital Voice switched off our vital phone line
The line is vital for our elderly relative’s care, but after 20 calls BT seems unable to resolve the problemMy elderly aunt, who lives alone, has been unable to receive incoming calls for more than two months after BT switched her analogue service to Digital Voice.Her care is overseen by a rota of relatives who check on her and arrange medical appointments and in-home help. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Bank of England warns of AI scams as deepfakes of Farage-Bailey fight spread
Governor urges people to report videos on X that falsely show the men clashing in the Question Time studio The Bank of England has warned the public against falling for AI-generated scams after deepfake videos of Nigel Farage fighting its governor spread online.Andrew Bailey, the head of the BoE, said AI-generated content related to central banks was spreading and urged people to be “vigilant”. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Think Musk the billionaire was bad? Brace yourself for Musk the trillionaire | Arwa Mahdawi
Becoming the world’s first trillionaire is only going to supercharge this sense of impunity and bring us one step closer to full-blown oligarchy“Whoever said ‘money can’t buy happiness’ really knew what they were talking about,” Elon Musk wrote in February on Twitter/X, the social network he bought for $44bn. He capped the statement with a sad face emoji.Alas, Musk’s information is outdated. A 2024 study found a substantial difference in happiness between the wealthy and people who are low income. “A greater feeling of control over life can explain about 75% of the association between money and happiness,” the study’s author noted.Arwa Mahdawi is a Guardian columnist and the author of Strong Female Lead Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The British food scene was booming. Why has it suddenly gone bust?
Once mocked internationally, the UK became a gastronomic hotspot in recent decades – London was hailed as the foodie capital of the world. Now many Michelin-starred restaurants have closed and the rot is spreadingIt’s 9am on a weekday morning and although I’ve just finished my porridge, the chef Richard Wilkins is making my mouth water. “My signature dish is soft Scottish langoustines wrapped in very thin, crispy pastry, served with Japanese sushi rice and a langoustine bisque.”His other specialities include turbot in a spinach and champagne sauce, buttery wagyu steak with English peas, and raspberry millefeuille. Sadly, I won’t be able to sample any of them and neither will anyone else. At the end of April, Wilkins took the painful decision to close his west London Michelin-listed Restaurant 104 after seven years. Continue reading...
bbc.com
AI giants' race to raise funds heats up as ChatGPT-owner plans stock market debut
The company behind ChatGPT files its plans one week after Anthropic did the same.
bbc.com
US adds BYD to list of firms with alleged Chinese military ties
The Pentagon list warns US firms of risks linked to working with flagged Chinese companies.
bbc.com
Jersey's youngest ever politician elected at 18
Gabriel Raimondo, who turned 18 shortly before the election, says he is "absolutely ecstatic".
theguardian.com
Healthy cooperation: how northern universities are linking with NHS trusts to drive innovation
Backed by a mix of private and public finance, Huddersfield and Manchester are among many in the academic sector helping to create jobs and growthHuddersfield might appear an unlikely setting for a thriving health research complex. The West Yorkshire town is best known for its manufacturing heritage, but has quickly become a honey pot for private sector businesses keen to collaborate with the town’s university in a push for the latest medical breakthroughs.Next month, the driving force behind the University of Huddersfield’s national health innovation campus, Prof Liz Towns-Andrews, expects to get the go-ahead for the third of seven planned eco-buildings for research and tech development clustered near the town centre. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Russia's fuel crisis intensifies as Ukraine steps up strikes on occupied territories
Kyiv has made it difficult for Moscow to provide military and civilian supplies to the territories it occupies.
bbc.com
SpaceX's stock market blast-off could be Musk's biggest gamble yet
SpaceX is preparing for a stock market debut that could transform the company, the wider market and Elon Musk's fortune.
bbc.com
Could humanoid robots be heading for the battlefield?
Armed forces are experimenting with humanoid robots, but battlefield deployment is some way off.
bbc.com
How driving test booking is changing for learner drivers
From 12 May, only learner drivers can book their own tests, not instructors.
bbc.com
Driving test booking rules tightened after thousands of no shows
Learner drivers can only swap their test to the three centres nearest to their original booking.
theguardian.com
Fighting Amazon made Chris Smalls a celebrity: 'My life changed' – Stateside with Kai and Carter
In 2022, Amazon workers at a fulfillment center in Staten Island made history by voting to form a union. Their leader was fired Amazon worker Chris Smalls, who became something of a celebrity within the labor movement. Smalls left the union amid internal tensions, and has gone on to become a freelance activist since. He speaks with Kai Wright about being arrested while protesting the Jeff Bezos-funded Met Gala, and why courting attention is an effective form of activism. Smalls’ new book When the Revolution Comes is out now. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Israel and Iran trade strikes: what does this mean for peace deal? - The Latest
The Iranian regime has announced the end of attacks against Israel, while the US president has claimed both sides ‘want a ceasefire’. This comes after Iran and Israel attacked each other’s territory for the first time since a fragile ceasefire took effect in April. The Israeli strikes are in apparent defiance of Donald Trump, who told Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, not to retaliate against Iran, in order to avoid derailing peace talks. Nosheen Iqbal speaks to the Guardian’s senior international correspondent Julian Borger Continue reading...
bbc.com
Jailed crypto founder Sam Bankman-Fried seeks Trump pardon
The former leader of crypto platform FTX, currently serving a 25-year sentence, on Monday officially applied to be pardoned.
bbc.com
Starmer tells Apple and Google to ban nude images on children's phones
Firms will be expected to activate built-in features to stop children accessing sexually explicit images.
theguardian.com
Bernie Sanders’ AI sovereign wealth fund plan is good. But we think this is better | Nathan E Sanders and Bruce Schneier
While we do not outright oppose the taking of AI company stock, or of a US a sovereign wealth fund, there are better ways to achieve the senator’s goalsLet no one accuse Bernie Sanders of ducking the big questions. Writing in the New York Times last week, the senator asked: “Will the future of humanity be determined by a handful of billionaires who have promoted and developed AI, with virtually no democratic input, who stand to become even richer and more powerful than they are today?”We agree entirely that this is one of the most potent questions facing global democracy today. Our book, Rewiring Democracy, surveys the emerging uses for and impacts of AI in democracy around the world and reaches the same conclusion: that the most urgent risk posed by AI is the concentration of power, wealth and control among tech oligarchs. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Widow 'distressed' by firm's nine-month delay to husband's pension
BBC Scotland has heard testimony from people affected by delays in pensions managed by outsourcing firm Capita.
theguardian.com
ScottishPower sent six cheques addressed to my late brother
Bereaved relatives have been bombarded with calls, emails and letters addressed to the deceasedScottishPower sent a debt collection letter to my house demanding £130 owing on my late brother’s gas account. I am his sole executor and had informed it of his death.The company, meanwhile, owed a £430 credit on his electricity account. It eventually paid this with a cheque issued in my late brother’s name, which could not therefore be cashed. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Spain's visitor numbers hit new highs as tourists avoid Middle East
The European country had 9.1 million international visitors in April, the most ever for that month.
bbc.com
How the High Street became a window on our political instability
High Streets have declined in recent years. What does this tell us about the UK?
theguardian.com
Rachel Reeves may be unpopular, but she is quietly rebalancing UK plc | Heather Stewart
Policy U-turns could define her stint at No 11 despite many sure-footed advances on devolved spending to help kickstart growthAn air of unreality settled on a Westminster conference room last week, as Rachel Reeves, upbeat in a powder pink power suit, gave a speech about boosting jobs and growth along the “OxCam corridor”.“If we get this right, working together, this corridor will not just compete globally, it will lead globally. We can do that together!” she told the audience of investors, policymakers and entrepreneurs. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Tax-break trees: how woodland became a store of wealth for the rich
Attempt to turn a stretch of the English-Scottish border into a commercial forest exposes threat to habitats from wealthy investorsOn the English-Scottish border a small species of butterfly, the northern brown argus, has fended off one of the biggest investors in the UK.Todrig, with its heath moorlands and hundreds of species of flora and fauna, represents an investment that could save Britain’s wealthiest families millions of pounds in inheritance tax. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Poisoned’ AI: the ChatGPT shopping scams that lead to fake websites
Buyers are ripped off after assuming online stores were genuine because they are recommended by an AI toolYou want to buy a new bag and so you ask ChatGPT for help. You have always liked Russell & Bromley so you ask ChatGPT what is popular there at the moment.The artificial intelligence (AI) assistant gives you cross body, shoulder, casual and formal options with the prices listed beside them. You click through from the sources to what looks like the official Russell & Bromley site and buy your new bag, which is conveniently on sale. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
UK’s fragile heirloom: ceramics sector calls for more help to save ‘vital industry’
Brands such as Portmeirion in Stoke welcome £120m package but seek further support to avert fresh closuresOn the floor of Portmeirion’s factory in Staffordshire, staff are hard at work as clays are moulded, glazed and fired – an intricate process requiring precision and specialist skills honed over years of practice – to manufacture the company’s array of tableware.Portmeirion, a homeware brand founded in 1960 that employs 433 people, is based in Stoke-on-Trent, at the heart of British ceramics. The centuries-old craft is so integral to the area’s identity that the six federated towns that make up the Staffordshire city are known as the Potteries. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
SpaceX IPO: how can I buy shares, and what are the risks?
Elon Musk firm plans the biggest stock market launch in history – but experts have flagged potential downsidesIt’s being billed as the biggest stock market launch in history. Shares in Elon Musk’s SpaceX are poised to be released on 12 June with a valuation of $135 (£100.84). The company plans to sell 555.6m of them, which means it will raise $75bn from the sale.On Friday, it was reported that up to a quarter of the shares could be reserved for individual investors, rather than funds and banks. This is a bigger share than is typically the case in a large initial public offering (IPO). Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘We should not have to sacrifice’: New York could become first state to temporarily ban large datacenters
Kristen Gonzalez, a state senator who authored the bill, said moratorium would target ‘hyperscale’ datacenters over 20MWNew York moved closer toward becoming the first US state to enact a moratorium on large datacenters this week. On Thursday, the state legislature approved a one-year ban on the facilities powering the AI boom.The measure now heads to Kathy Hochul, the governor, who will decide whether to sign it into law. The Guardian spoke to a state senator in the wake of the historic vote about authoring the bill and the wider US backlash against datacenters. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Consumer Fight Back
A new report says that 3 in 4 people are not saving enough for a moderate retirement.
theguardian.com
Aviation industry looks skywards as leaders fly in for Rio summit
Oil tankers may be stuck behind strait of Hormuz, but holding the Iata AGM in Brazil defies warnings of impending shortagesNothing says jet fuel crisis, as one prospective attender put it, like flying everyone to Rio de Janeiro. Aviation leaders will converge in Brazil this weekend for the Iata AGM, the annual global airline summit, with the industry still, for the most part, looking resolutely skyward.The oil tankers may still be stuck behind the strait of Hormuz as the conflict between the US, Israel and Iran flickers on, but for now, airlines continue to defy dire warnings of impending shortages which had stoked fears of a summer of chaos for European holidaymakers. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Blackouts, hyperinflation, dissent: Iran considers perilous prospect of peace
Conditions that led to bloody prewar protests have been made worse, commentators say Iran is already preparing for the perilous transition from wartime unity to a fractious peace marked by hyperinflation, a 10% contraction in the economy, power cuts and calls for a triumphalist government to end its unprecedented hunting down of dissent.With peace not yet secured, the debates within the regime about Iran’s future are only just starting to emerge but its rulers are clearly thinking about how after surviving the war, they can survive the peace. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘I’m down to one option’: bank customers left frustrated by latest closures
Apps intended to replace branches have been hit by outages, as a poll finds most Britons want high street servicesWith its windows blanked out, a poster pinned to the door of the Staines branch of Lloyds Bank tells its customers they can do their “everyday banking with our mobile banking app”.But not today. On Wednesday, when the Guardian visited Staines, they wouldn’t have got very far because the Lloyds group was battling an IT outage that left thousands of its customers unable to make payments or send money. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Outrage in Albania over Kushner-Trump $1.6bn luxury resort – The Latest
Thousands have protested in the streets of the Albanian capital, Tirana, this week against a planned luxury resort backed by Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.Groundwork has begun on the $1.6bn complex in an area long seen as one of the Mediterranean’s most environmentally sensitive, containing 200 species of birds including flamingos and Dalmatian pelicans.After builders began erecting a concrete-based, barbed wire-topped fence around the site, alarm turned to public outrage at the environmental damage and lack of political transparency around the deal.Lucy Hough speaks to US live news editor Chris Michael – watch on YouTube Continue reading...
bbc.com
Is there an AI stock market bubble, and is it ready to burst?
Despite the Iran war, inflation and debt fears, US markets keep hitting record highs, fueled largely by AI. BBC's Samira Hussain looks into whether that bubble will burst.
bbc.com
The ancient trick making food waste useful and tasty
Instead of throwing away byproducts of food processing, fermentation is making them valuable.
bbc.com
'By the grace of God': Miners dig on as lab-grown diamonds change market
The rising popularity of lab-grown diamonds heaps pressure on those hunting for the natural gems.
bbc.com
How 'confused' AI rollout hurts firms and baffles staff
Some firms are putting pressure on staff to use AI, but have not thought through their AI rollout.
bbc.com
Caribbean hot sauce producers warn of shortages and higher prices
Manufacturers in Jamaica say the key chilli peppers they need are in limited supply.
bbc.com
Humanoid robots 'the future' of car making, says BMW
BMW is introducing humanoid robots to a car plant in Europe, building on similar projects in the US.
bbc.com
The £5 coffee that tells a story of global economic turmoil
Coffees at some city centre outlets now cost £5. It's a story of tariffs, the climate, Gen Z cultural tastes, and savvy coffee farmers playing the market, writes Faisal Islam
bbc.com
Is 'out of control' US tipping culture spreading overseas?
With US waiting staff getting cross at receiving less than 20%, tips are also on the rise elsewhere.
bbc.com
The rise of the fruit that tastes like custard
Custard apple plants are prized for their hardiness but exporting their delicate fruit is difficult.
bbc.com
Morocco wants tourists to visit Western Sahara. Some say it's tightening its control
The Moroccan government wants more Western holidaymakers to visit the territory it claims to own.
bbc.com
'Six eggs used to be £1' - why everyday essentials cost so much more now
Six supermarket brand eggs cost £1 in 2022. How much are they now, why have they gone up, and is anyone profiteering?
bbc.com
Love factually: Dating start-ups promise to cut the cheats
Frustration with fake dating profiles has spurred new dating services with different approaches.
bbc.com
The fight against foreign developers buying Caribbean beaches
Campaigners in Barbuda, Grenada and Jamaica say they can no longer access their coastlines.
bbc.com
Robo-top: The machines that could make your next t-shirt
Most clothes are made in Asia, but new machines could bring some of that work back to the West.
bbc.com
Why does Amazon have no Western rivals?
The internet giant dwarfs other online retailers on both sides of the Atlantic.
bbc.com
The threat to summer holidays looming from jet fuel shortages
What impact might shortages have on our summer holidays - and what could be done about it?
bbc.com
Scammers are becoming ever more sophisticated - this is what the fightback looks like
Scams have exploded over the last few years. Can countries and companies come together to turn the tables on the scammers?
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